The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for preparing foods using steam.
EU-PS 0 463 703 discloses a process of this generic type and an oven for carrying out this process. In the previously known process, explosion-like puffs of steam are generated inside the hermetically sealed inner chamber of the oven. These puffs of steam cause a relatively high pressure to develop in the inner chamber of the oven casing or shell. This pressure exerts mechanical strain on the casing or shell of the oven, especially on a seal in the region of the door opening in the casing, a seal on the shaft of a fan, the door hinges and the closing mechanism of the oven door. Furthermore, in this previously known process, steam pressure is present in the cooking space. For example, if the oven is installed in an airplane and the door is opened, a large amount of steam escapes into the inside of the aircraft. The inside of the airplane is hermetically sealed against the outside so that under these circumstance the escaped steam condenses on the inner walls of the airplane and on the inside of the windows of the airplane, which should be avoided.
Where large quantities of food are prepared, steam may condense on the inside of the oven with the result that pools of water form on the floor of the oven. When the oven door is opened this condensed water may run out into the inside of the aircraft. In a plane which is not equipped with the latest technology it is virtually impossible to connect the oven to a drainage pipe. Consequently the condensed water flows out onto the floor of the aircraft which is a further undesirable side-effect.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate these and other disadvantages of the prior art.
According to the present invention, food is cooked using saturated steam as a source of thermal energy by the following steps;
Spraying water into the cooking cavity of an oven;
Heating the mist obtained from spraying the water to produce saturated steam;
Discontinuing spraying water once sufficient saturated steam has been produced to cook the food;
Permitting the heat energy of the saturated steam to cook food in the cavity;
After the saturated steam has cooked the food, and once the temperature of the saturated steam has dropped to a degree that the steam is no longer saturated, conveying the wet steam into a second cavity;
In the second cavity, cooling the wet steam rapidly so as to condense water;
Collecting the condensed water in the floor region of the second cavity; and
Spraying the next dose of water into the cooking cavity.
An apparatus for conducting the process of the present invention includes an oven comprising a cooking or first cavity;
A condenser comprising a cooling or second cavity which is placed outside of the coven and which is connected to eth cooking cavity;
Means for injecting doses of water into the cooking cavity of the over, the means for injecting water having a control unit for controlling the function of the oven and of the condenser.